Electron emitting materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have unique and useful electrical properties, and can be used in the fabrication of the cathode of a field emission device. However, the use of electron emitting materials in such applications can be constrained by their susceptibility to damage in one or more of the fabrication steps involved in the manufacture of a field emission device.
A need thus remains for a process for providing a robust layer of electron emitting material on a substrate, with good uniformity and low material consumption, and where the resultant layer of electron emitting material resists damage in subsequent steps in the manufacturing process for field emission devices. There also exists a need for patterned films of electron emitting materials with good performance characteristics to be used in electronic applications, for example in a cathode assembly for a field emission device.